How To Get The Most Out Of Your Mac

Backups are an important part of your Mac’s daily routine. The use of Time Machine have made backups on your Mac more accessible and more common. I can never stress enough how useful having a good backup of your data is. Today I am going to show you 7 backup solutions for your Mac. Some are computer bases, some are off site online backup solutions. I always recommend a local backup connected to your computer and an off site backup to ensure all of your personal data is secure and safe.

The list is in no particular order and if you have any recommendations please leave one using the form below. I personally use Time Machine and Blackblaze to ensure my data is secure.

Time Machine

Clearly the big backup utility for your Mac, Time Machine. Using an external or internal hard drive the backup utility will copy across any news files, as well as changes every hour. One of the best backup utilities for your Mac and its built into your system. If you don’t have Time Machine running on your computer, get it set up. The times it has saved me from lost files is insurmountable from the cost of the hard drive.

Time Machine, going back in time.

Backblaze

One of my favourite off site, online backup utilities. Backblaze offers, for a tiny amount a month, the ability to backup and store all of your files on there servers. Running in the background through a system preference pane, the system will backup your files and allow you a quick method for retrieving them, when you need them most. It only does your personal files and offers unlimited storage but its well worth it when you find your Time Machine hard drive has given up the ghost.

Backblaze online backup solution. Shown in the System Preferences pane.

Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner is a slightly different app for backing up your data. Although it has scheduling and synchronizing option to ensure only the latest files have been backup, it more for a cloner app for making bootable backups of your data. The app allows you to copy every byte of data and copy it to another source, essentially cloning the drive. This is useful if you want to make a single ‘hard copy’ of your data on a DVD or other drive and put it in the cupboard for a month or two. Its a perfect copy of your data and doesn’t have the incremental changes that Time Machine makes.

Carbon Copy Cloner, ready to copy a hard drive.

GoodSync

I reviewed GoodSync, the other day, and one of the features with the app is the backup solution available with the app. Although the other apps mentioned have the ability to determine the location of the backup, on a local network or on the web, GoodSync allows you to really take this a stage further with many different backup locations. Although designed as a sync utility to ensure two folders are the same the backup utility along with the ability to pick from a variety of sources mean it is a very useful backup utility.

Goodsync, although used for syncing files, can be used to backup folders aswell.

Drop Box

One of the most popular online utilities, Drop Box allows you to upload your files to the web. It has a free version so you can try the app for up to 2GB of data. Its one of the simplest versions out there to ensure you get the files in the drop box onto the web so you can retrieve them later. Drop box is more of a select backup system, which you control the data you upload. Rather than Backblaze which uploads everything unless you tell it not to.

Dropbox, the popular online file storage device.

Mozy

Another online backup service, Mozy is a competitive solution to Backblaze mentioned earlier. It differs slightly in the fact that you have two tiers of pricing, and it can be suited to business needs. I haven’t yet tried this backup solution. However I have read some interesting things about this app and it is clearly a competitor to Backblaze. One to consider.

Mozy is a more proffesional backup solution, just as good as all the other apps on this list.

Arq

The final app on the list is Arq. This app is a bit more do it yourself, since you have to set up and own an Amazon S3 bucket. This isn’t too much of a problem for users who know how this sort of technology works. It allows you to have a bit more control over the files on Amazon’s web server and allows you to control the pricing, since you have total control over the files on the remove system. Arq could have a lot of potential for users who want this amount of control.

A DIY option for online backup solutions. Best used with an Amazon S3 bucket.

Conclusion

There are many different backup utilities available. If you want to go for a local attached storage such as Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner, or an off site Internet enabled one such as BackBlaze or Mozy there is plenty of different ways to ensure your data is safe.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave one below.

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About

I'm James, and I have been a Mac user for years. Over this time I have found loads of tips and tricks which have helped me get the most out of my Mac, so I decided to share them with you all. For more info see my about page.

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